Combined cornstalk harvester and shocker.



Patented Aug. I2, |902. H. PECKMAN. CUIBINED CURNSTALK HARVESTERy ANDSHUCKER.

` (Application Med .Tuna 20, 1901.) (Il l Model.)

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No. 706,593. Patented Aug. l2, 1902.

H. PEcKMAN. 4 CUMBINED CORNSTALK HARVESTER AND SHUCKER.

(Applicntionlod June 20, 1901.) (No Model.) 5-.Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 706,593. Patented Aug. I2, |902. H. PECKMAN.

CHBINED CORNSTALK HARVESTER A'ND SHOCKER. (Appliestion led .Tune 20,1901A (No Modal.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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no. 706,593. Ptented Aug.r|2, |902.

`H. PEcKMAN..

COMBINED CORNSTALK HARVESTER AND'SHOCKEB. E (Appucgion med Jun. 2o,1901.) gno' Manel.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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No. 706,593. Patented Aug. I2, |902.

H. PECKMAN. Y

COMBINED CORNSTALK HARVESTER AND SROGKER.

(Application med June so, 19019 (llo Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN PEOKMAN, OF ARGENTINE, KANSAS.

COMBINED CORNSTALK HARVESTER AND SHOCKER.

SYECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,593, dated August12, 1902.

Application led June 20, 1901. Serial No. 65,278. (No model.)

The object of the invention is to provide a" machine of thischaracter'which shall be simple of construction, durable in use, andcomparatively inexpensive of production and which will harvest at onetime two rows of cornstalks,compress them into a single bundle or shock,and discharge the shock in standing position on Jthe ground.

With this and other objects in view the in` vention consists of certainlnovel'features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,which will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of the machine,the parts 'being shown in the position they assume as the machine isdrawn forward. Fig. 2 isa top plan View showing the parts in position togive the shock its iinal compression preparatory to tying it. Fig. 3 isarear View,tlhe platforms being shown in their tilted position and thepartition `in its lowered position and the shock discharged upon theground. Fig. 4 is a front View of the machine. Fig. 5 is a bottom planView through one side ofthe machine to illustrate the gearingforactuatingthe shafts that operate the conveyers. Fig. 6 is ahorizontal sectional View through one side of the machine lookingdownwardly; and Eig. 7 is a detail perspective view of thefriction-catch 83, which the driver operates with his foot.

The supporting-frame of the harvester consists of the parallel sidepieces l and 2, the

central parallel piece 3, the 'forwardfcross-V piece 4,' the side posts5, and the two central posts 6 and 6. From the side posts 5 is securedadj ustably, preferably by bolts and nuts ,1, stud-axles 8, uponA whichare journaled traction-wheels 9. This adjustment permits of the frame ofthe machine being raised orlowered with respect to the ground to 5 5vary the cut of the stalks. Fixed to or cast integral with eachtraction-wheel is a drivegear 10. i"

Upon each side of the machine, journalod in bearings, are shafts ll and12, the former 6o being provided with curved beater-arms 13 and thelatter provided at its lower end with a wooden diskl, which cooperateswith the edge of the Xed cutter-blade 16 and has fixed to it atoothedfeed-disk 18.

19 denotes a horizontal shaft journaled` in suitable bearingss'ecureditothe forward 4crosspiece of the frame and provided at one end with apinion in mesh with the drive-gear and with beveled gears 2O and 21,which mesh, 7o respectively, with similar gears 22 and 23 on theshaftslll'and 12 and" by whichniovement istransmitted t'osaid shafts.Projecting from the forward cross-bar at each end thereof are two rods24 and 25, each having 75 at its forward `end sprocket-wheels 26 and 27,and fixed to the upper ends of the shafts 1l and l2 are sprocket-wheels28 and 29. Endless chains 30 and 3l are engaged with eacn set ofsprocket-wheels and are provided with 8o gathering-iingers 32, whichengage the cornstalks fed between the adjacent runs of the belt and holdthem in an upright position as the machine is drawn along and also tendto feed them to the cutting apparatus. Secured to the upper ends `of theside 4posts and projecting forwardly from under the sprocketwheels 28are pointed guard-plates 33 for the inner runs of the conveyor-chain 30,which have on their inner side upwardly and rear- 9o wardly projectingprongs 84, so as to prevent the upper end of the cornsta'lk from leaningforward as it is being conveyed rearwardly by the coacting chains ofeach set, and for a similar purpose are provided the pointedguard-plates 35, which project under and in advance of thesprocket-wheels 29 and are secured to the ends of a cross-piece 36,secured to the central post 6. The plates 35-are also provided withupwardly and rearwardly pro- Ico jecting prongs 35'.

37 denotes a post at eachside of themachine, projecting upwardly fromthe crosspiece 4 and connected at its upper end to the cross-piece 38.

39 denotes packers having their inner edges pivoted to the said postsand having forwardcurved arms 40, which are adapted to be engaged by atappet device 4l, fixed to the shafts 12, whereby whensaid shafts arerotated the packers will be vibrated. The upper end of each packer has aforwardly-projecting arm 42, provided with rearwardlyprojecting barbs43, which serve to feed the stalks rearwardly after they have been freedfrom engagement with the conveyer-chains.

44 denotes springs connected to braces 45 and to the packers and serveto draw said packers forwardly. l

Just in rear of the packers 39 is a vertical .frame 39a, consisting ofthe vertical pieces 39h, connectingI the upper and lower horizontalcross-pieces 39, which terminate in forwardlybent arms 39d, which serveas guards to guide the cornstalks onto the platforms, hereinafterdescribed.

39e denotes vertical posts extending upward from. the cross-piece 4,adjacentto the outer ends of the cross-pieces 39, and pro-A to the rearend of the central piece 3. Each tions 49 at their rear ends.

section 49 is provided along its marginal edge with a longitudinal cleat50, so that when the sections of each platformare raised in horizontalposition the section 49 of each platform will support its coactingsection 48. Any suitable means .may be employed for holding theseplatforms in horizontal position, but that shown is preferredandconsists of a lever 5l, pivoted to a stud 52, projecting downwardly fromthe rear end of the central piece 3 and pivotally connected by links 53to lugs 54, connectedto the under sides of the sec- A loop or bail 55 ispivoted to the rear end of the central piece 3 and is adapted to beswung up into engagement with and hold the lever in horizontal position,so as to hold the sections of the platform ina similar position. Inorder to insure -a positive lock, the under side of the free end ofthelever may beprovided with notches 56,

which are engaged by the loop or bail. 57 denotes a partition toseparate or divide the platforms. This partition has a vertical movementand preferably consists of two bars 58 and 59, connected by links 60,thus forming practically a parallel rule. The bar 58 has its forward endconnected by a link 6l to a stud on the post 6' and has its rear endconnected by a link 62 to a post 63, projecting lin the post 6.

upwardly from the central piece 3, and each bar is provided at its rearend with handles 64, by means of which it may be raised or lowered intoposition. The forward ends of said bars work through a closed-end slot65, formed To elevate the partition, the upper bar is kfirst swungupwardly and forwardly, its forward end projecting through the slot 65and engaging the end wall thereof and the cut-away portion 59 on the`upper side of the bar 59 being directly beneath the upper cross-piece39c of the frame 39a. The lower bar is now swung upwardly and forwardly.When the links reach a dead-center, which they do when they are in avertical line, the bars are securely locked by the pressure of thecut-away portion 59a upon the under side of the cross-piece 39C. Tolower the bars, the lowermost link is pulled rearwardly, thus pullingthe links off the dead-center and permitting the two bars to be loweredparallel.

The shock-formers consist of twoframes 66 and 67, preferably U-shaped,which havey when said hinged frames are swung inwardly the sections 48of the platforms will be elevated.

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7lc denotes ropes the forward ends of which 1 are passed under afriction-catch 83 within convenient reach of the drivers foot, and therear ends of which are provided with hooks,

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which are connected to eyes 71d. Y

72 denotes the shock-compressor, which consists of a frame 73, havingforked arms 74 at its rear end and having its forward end pivoted toswing vertically between ears 75 projecting from the post 6.` yJournaled on the outer sides of these ears are sheaves 76,

around which pass ropes 77, the rear ends of l which pass through aguide-eye 78 on the compressor-frame and then through longitudinal slots79 in the ends ofthe forked arms of said frame'and are provided withhooks 80. The opposite ends of these ropes lead y from the sheavesto andare connectedl with a windlassSl, operated by a crank 82.

When in operative position, the platforms are elevated. Thecompressor-frame is also elevated to be outof the Way. The partition iselevated to its highest position. The hinged frames are swung inwardlyinto engagement with the partition, and the sliding frames are movedforwardly upon the hinged frames and connected to the ropes 71e, whichhave their forward ends under the friction-latch 83, upon which thedrivers foot is adapted to be placed. As the machine isdrawn along thecornstalks in each row will be gathered by the endless conveyers, forcedrearwardly, severed by the cutting apparatus, knocked rearwardly by thebeater-arms, and forced into separate bundles or shocks by the packersoperated by the tappet devices on the shafts 12, each packer, as abovestated, being provided with a forwardly-projecting curved arm havingbarbs to prevent the retrograde or forward movement of the severedcornstalks. The density of the shock being formed is regulated by theoperator, who, with his foot upon the friction-latch, lets the rope 7lCslide from under said latch as the severed stalks pass rearwardly fromthe cutting apparatus, and as the shocks are being formed the slidingframes slide rearwardly to make room for the oncoming stalks. After thedesired amount of stalks has been deposited on the platforms thecompressor-frame is lowered to a horizontal position, the rear ends ofits cords passed around the upper ends of the two partiallyformedshocks, and by turning the windlass the upper ends of said shocks aretightly bound together, and in this position the wire or tie is passedaround the upper end of said shocks to secure themin position. The ropes7lC are now disconnected, the partition lowered to its lowermostposition, and the platforms dumped, thus allowing the butt-ends of thestalks to fall upon the ground, and by starting the machine forward thepartition will be drawn out from between the stalks, thus leaving theshock in a standing position on the ground. The parts of the machine arenow restored to their normal positions, so that the machine may resumeits work.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation, andadvantages of the invention will be readily understood without requiringa more extended explanation.

Various changes in lthe form, proportion, and details of constructionmay be made within the scope of the invention without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. In a cornstalk-harvester, the combination with the cutting apparatus,of two dumping-platforms, one at the rear of each cutting apparatus, anda vertically-movable partition separating said platforms, and ashockformer, the parts ot' which are located above of two hinged frameslocated one at each side of the machine and capable of swinginginwardly, and annularly-cu rved frames mounted to slide upon said hingedframes, .and a shock-compressor mounted above the partition,substantially as set forth.

3. In a cornstalk-harvester, the combination with the cutting apparatuscarried at each side of the machine, a platform arranged at the rear ofeach cutting apparatus to receive the severed stalks in standingposition, a hinged com pressor-frame having its rearward end forked andslotted, a windlass, ropes passed through the slots in said forked endsof the compressor-frame and connected to thc windlass, substantially asset forth.

4E. In a cornstalk-harvester, the combination with the cuttingapparatus, of two platforms mounted at the rear of each cuttingapparatus, frames hinged at the outer side and above each platform andcapable of swinging inwardly, and a bail-shaped frame mounted to slideupon the hinged frame longitudinally, substantially as set forth.

5. In a cornstalk-harvester, the combination with a cutting apparatus,of two platforms mounted at the rear of each cutting apparatus, framesmounted at the outer side and above each platform and capable ofswinging inwardly, and a bail-shaped frame mounted to slide upon thehinged frame longitudinally, a friction device, and ropes connected tothe bail-shaped frame and the friction device, whereby as the shock isbeing.

formed the density may be controlled by increasing the friction upon therope as it slides past the friction device, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set -my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HERMAN PEOKMAN.

Witnesses:

ALLEN T. MATHEws, J. J. SWINGLEY.

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